Q&A with a coach: Jim Thomas

PERRY TWP.  Tennis has taken Jim Thomas to some great places over the years.

He was a part of a Stanford University team that won two national championships in the early-1990s before going on to play professionally. His career includes a doubles appearance in the semifinals at the 2005 U.S. Open, as well as many other appearances in Grand Slam tournaments and other big events.

This year, tennis has brought Thomas home to Central Catholic. He’s in his first season as the boys head coach at his alma mater, hoping to lift the Crusaders’ program to new heights.

Thomas says he’s enjoying getting to know his players and helping them sharpen their skills and desire for the game he loves.

Here’s what Thomas said about coaching at Central, his career and being at the front of a long line of tennis players in his family. 

Q: Coach, what does the opportunity to be a head coach at the high school level mean to you?

A: “I’m excited to have gotten the chance. I have many fond memories of my time at Central and my coach is still there in Mr. John Wagner. Coincidentally, it’s his last year teaching at the school. I’m happy to be there; the kids have been wonderful and the parents have been great. The administration has also been very supportive, so I’m happy to be doing it.”

Q: Does this position mean a little bit more to you being that it’s your alma mater?

A: “Definitely. My stepdaughter is a junior there, so that’s nice. And my stepson is in eighth grade, so he’ll be there next year. It’s also nice to be so involved in the community, especially after all those years being out of town. I really appreciate the sense of community much more now.”

Q: What are your expectations with this group? I know there can be a bit of a transitional period in a coach’s first year, but what are you hoping to see out of your team this spring?

A: “I just want to try to encourage them to play more and, more importantly, to enjoy it and want to play more. I’m starting to see it in a couple of them; they are getting a little bit more excited about the game. I just want to get them to have fun. It’s going to take some time, but I know eventually some positive results will come.”

Q: You had such a great playing career over the years, but what got you into coaching?

A: “My chance to develop my skills to the best of my ability as far as tennis goes has past. So, it’s nice for me to share my enthusiasm for the game and help others, especially at this age group. I had some wonderful coaches and mentors who helped me during this time in my career, and if I didn’t help in some way for these kids, I wouldn’t feel good about it.”

Q: Take me back to when you were playing. You were able to experience a lot of great things, but is there anything in particular about your career that always sticks out to you?

A: “I would say the first thing that comes to mind was when my partner and I won a very long quarterfinal match at the U.S. Open in 2005. We were down but were able to win. It was a long see-saw match and we were fortunate to win. That was definitely a career highlight. Another one that pops in my brain was when I got a chance to play against John McEnroe. In particular, I remember the night before, I went to “scout” him and I was pinching myself because I never thought I’d get the chance to play him.”

Q: Your family has been entrenched in the game of tennis for a long, long time. How did that first get started and how has your family been able to experience so much success?

A: “About 35 years ago, my parents and some other family members enjoyed the game of tennis and realized there was a shortage of indoor courts in the area. So, they started the Hall of Fame Fitness Center. That meant I had no problem getting courts and no problem getting coaching and getting opportunities to be successful. As far as other family members, it’s pretty much the same. I followed in the footsteps of my siblings that played, and it happened to be the sport I was best at.”

Reach Joe at 330-775-1129 or joe.mitchin@indeonline.com.

On Twitter: @jmitchinINDE